Thursday, September 13, 2007

After a long, hot, uneventful summer, hockey is finally just around the corner.

Football has begun. I like football, but each year I have increasingly viewed football as a temporary distraction until hockey starts. From this point forward, I will pay less and less attention to real football, and even less to my fantasy football teams.

After some fitful, nervous waiting, my tickets have arrived. I had to downsize from my traditional 24-game plan to a more affordable and more logistically possible 10-game plan. Those 10-game plans get shipped out after all the others. Full season and 24-gamers have the privilege of selecting the exact seat they sit in all season. 10 gamers can only request a section. I have been in 112 for four seasons, and I didn't want to change that. However, since I was assigned my seat after the others were selected, I didn't get as nice a chair as what I've had in the past. I went from row M to row L to row J to row C (!), improving my view each season. This year, I'll be in row VV. I can't recall how far from the top of 112 that is, but suffice to say it's not as close to the ice as row C. I'll be on the aisle, which is pretty sweet, and I can't complain about a lower bowl seat. I wish I was closer to that row L seat because I have several friends in that area, but this'll do.

This is the Canes' tenth season in North Carolina, and the ice has been painted with a special marking at centre ice. The players will all wear a commemorative patch on their right shoulder. The season ticket holders have been issued special bumper stickers in honor of this decade in Carolina.

Camp opens for the Hurricanes tomorrow. Brendan Sutter will be in camp, but is not expected to make the roster. At best, most people think he'll spend some time in Albany. Barring a spectacular camp for him and some serious injuries to some other forwards, there's just no way he can make the big club. He was good in the Super Series, but I just don't think so. Cason pointed out that Alan Muir of Sports Illustrated has marked Sutter as a darkhorse candidate to make the big team. He marked 14 other "under the radar" type players in NHL camps who have a chance to make the big club on their respective team. He opines that Sutter might get a "10 game look-see". This is precisely how Jordan Staal made the Penguins roster last October. Started out as a doubtful, had a great camp, and blew everyone away during his 10 game free preview. Maybe Sutter can do this, which would likely leave Trevor Letowski out in the cold.

The Hurricanes will open their pre-season with a game this Sunday afternoon. I normally don't care about pre-season hockey, but I'll probably go.

Opening night, which coincides with my 36th birthday, is just 19 days away! I'm not about to miss that.If you're in the arena that night, I'll gladly let you buy me a birthday beer. One per customer, though.

The Bret Hedican saga continues. One day, he's allegedly on the verge of holding an "I quit" press conference. The next, he's looking better than he's ever looked. The next, he's not practicing. The latest is that Luke Decock has called him "nominally" healthy.

Other news: Andrew Ladd is nursing an undisclosed injury. "Snuggles" Tanabe has been invited to camp.

5 comments:

I like sitting farther back in the lower bowl as opposed to being right on the glass. I sat right next to the penalty box and back a couple of rows at one game, and while it was awesome seeing Mike Commodore level Petr Prucha and then smile as he skated off (even though I was there in my Rangers sweater), there were parts of the ice that I couldn't see. Personally, section 325 is my favorite place to sit, but my wife likes being closer.

Would it do Sutter any good to play four or five minutes a game with Craig Adams and Chad LaRose? I think he'd be better off starting out in Albany...

Sutter is too young to play in Albany this year (actually he can’t go there for the next two seasons, except for the POs if his junior team is already eliminated). For players drafted out of the CHL, who are under the age of 20, it’s either the NHL or back to juniors.

disclaimer

Red And Black Hockey is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Club, the National Hockey League or any of its other member clubs. The opinions expressed herein are entirely those of RBH. Any comments made are the opinion of the commenter, and not necessarily that of RBH. Whenever possible, RBH uses its own photography. Any incidental use of copyrighted material including photography, logos or other brand markings will not interfere with the owner's profits.